


heard it through the spring vine

by fangirl_squee



Category: Friends at the Table (Podcast)
Genre: Gen, SPOILERS FOR SIH 44, past Fero/Samol, references to samol's death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-10-19 20:44:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20663519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirl_squee/pseuds/fangirl_squee
Summary: Rumors of a new god spread through the Rhizome, with tales both too fantastic and too mundane to be believed. Once more the party adventures forth to fight a god, although it might not be who they expected.





	heard it through the spring vine

**Author's Note:**

> thanks to maddie, for betaing, and to ele, for their great tweets that reminded me about this idea so I actually wrote it.

Fero stepped out of his cave for the first time since he’d entered it, blinking up at the warm sunlight. The sky above the leaves was a clear and bright blue. 

The details of his dream were already fading, leaving behind the impression of Samol’s warm hand on his shoulder, his laughter in Fero’s ear. Fero closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in and letting it out slowly.

_ Try _ , Samol had told him once, _ Keep trying _.

Fero let out another breath, looking out into the forest. Well. Okay. Time to keep trying.

\----

Rumors spread differently now that there were so many layers to the world. You might visit one branch and hear a tale, then visit it's neighbouring branch and hear a different tale entirely, with no way to tell which story had come first or which was closer to the truth. Rumors that ran wild on one branch might be totally absent on another.

So it took a little while longer than you might think for a rumour of a new god to reach Hadrian. 

Hadrian was, understandably, worried. Things with Galenica were not yet final but they had at least settled to the point that he only worried about reconfiguration once every few days, rather than as a constant, stomach-churning fear. There were other things that were _ like _gods, in a manner of thinking - the weaver king, the grey duke, the sapkin, even Red Jack, still, but the rumors he heard of this new god we're unlike any of those. 

A god, hidden away from mortal eyes, changing forms at will to become anyone, anything. That this god lived _ inside _ of Rhizome itself, that they _ were _the Living Form of the Rhizome. That they couldn't be hurt, and that they could cure any illness. That they never slept or ate. That they had no physical form at all, just a booming voice from deep inside a cave, dispensing advice to those who sought it. 

And then other, stranger, tales. That the god had helped someone with their garden, found someone else's missing pet. That the god helped fix a wobbly shelf in someone’s kitchen cupboard as they were passing by. That they'd seen the god play a flute by the river and spent the afternoon with them, fishing and chatting about nothing in particular. That the god had sought shelter during a pollen storm and babysat the children of the house they were in. 

Hadrian puzzled over each new piece of information. For every act he would think of as godlike, there was another that seemed more in line with a friendly neighbour or helpful traveller. He said as much to Hella in a letter and also, after a few days of thought, to the others as well, in case they'd heard something. 

\----

“There aren’t any gods left,” said Ben, “That’s why my dad keeps trying to get people to, you know, find the divine in themselves.”

“What about Galenica?” said Blue J.

Ben kicked a bark chip down the branch they were walking along. “I guess. They don’t do much old-school godly stuff though. Not like they used to.”

“What about… Oh-” Blue J laughed, “What about Fero?”

Ben blinked. “What about- oh yeah, I guess, sort of. If he was out doing stuff again, people would probably think he was a god.”

“Because he kind of would be,” said Blue J, “turning into stuff, talking to the new spring, healing people…”

“Maybe,” said Ben, “I don’t know if people would keep believing that once they met him though.”

“Maybe they would!” said Blue J, “My dad says Samol was a real grouch sometimes..”

“I think his grouchiness was part of it,” said Ben. He paused. “Maybe Fero’s would be too.”

\----

Hella had, in fact, heard many things. It was one of Rix and Rowe's favourite topics, and with every excursion into the world they brought back another tale, taller than the last. 

"They're not a person at all," said Rix, "I heard that they're a flock of birds that move as one, and when they speak they flock together into a big face."

"That's true!" said Rowe, "and _ I _ heard that they live at the very _ top _of the Rhizome, where there's nothing between them and the sky and they fly around the whole of the Rhizome all day and never get tired."

"And who told you that?" said Adaire. 

Rix and Rowe shrugged, which could either have meant they were making it up entirely or that it was absolutely true and they didn't want to reveal their source. Adaire, thought Hella, often did the same thing herself. 

Adaire hummed at their answer, moving on to another topic. She'd never held any particular interest in gods, after all. 

Hella was still thinking about it when they went to bed that night, staring up at the ceiling of the house they'd built together. Adaire rolled onto her side, putting a hand on Hella's chest. 

"Stop thinking so loudly," said Adaire. 

"Sorry," said Hella. She paused. "It's just… this god thing..."

"I wouldn't worry too much," said Adaire, "most of the rumors they bring back are far too wild to be true. I mean, whoever heard of a god that stops by to help you fix a garden fence?"

Hella hummed. "It's not that part of it that worries me. It's rumors that _ aren't _so wild. I mean, we know gods-"

Adaire snorted. "Some better than others."

"You know what I mean," said Hella, "we've met enough gods to know they can do some wild stuff, and if they're a god of the new spring then who knows what they could be capable of."

Adaire was quiet for a moment. "You want to go out and look for them, don't you?"

"I-" Hella let out a long breath. "I don't know. Maybe? Someone should."

Adaire sighed.

"You're the one who's always telling the kids we should know what's out there."

"For _ mapmaking _, not… fighting gods, or whatever this turns out to be," said Adaire. 

They were both quiet, listening to the sound of the wind through the trees outside. 

"If you really don't want me to go, I won't," said Hella, "I just think _ someone _should."

"I know you do," said Adaire. 

Adaire patted her hand of Hella's chest before sliding it to the crook of her neck, curling her body in close. 

"I just don't think it should always have to be you on the line," said Adaire softly. 

Hella had no words for that, so she held Adaire closer as she fell, finally, into sleep. 

\----

Ephrim, on the other hand, had not heard anything about the rumors of a new god at all. He spent a long time reading and rereading the letter, until Throndir arrived for their evening meal together. 

"No Red Jack tonight?" asked Ephrim, tilting his face up to receive Throndir's kiss in greeting.

Throndir shook his head, huffing a laugh. "No, he heard a rumour he wants to chase."

Ephrim glanced down at the letter in his hand. "It wasn't… it wasn't about a new god, was it?"

Throndir frowned, pausing in where he was taking off his coat. "How did you know?"

"Hadrian's heard the same thing," said Ephrim, holding out the letter to Throndir, "he's worried."

"Hadrian's always worried about something," said Throndir. 

Throndir took the letter, his eyes scanning down the page. Ephrim could tell her reached past the opening pleasantries as Throndir's eyebrows rose higher and higher.

"Well?" said Ephrim. 

"I-" Throndir let out a breath, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know, some of the stuff in this letter…"

"We know gods though," said Ephrim. 

"I guess, but this is-" Throndir looked back down at the letter. "_ I have received just as many reports of them performing miracles as I have of them helping fix tables and heal broken bones, and I am honestly not sure which seems more likely. _ I mean, we both know gods don't go door to door to help people."

"Maybe this one does," said Ephrim, "which makes them all the more dangerous. The more people who've seen them, who've been helped by them, the more people would be willing to be on their side."

"But on their side for what?"

"I don't know," said Ephrim. He looked down, flexing his gloved hand. "But with gods it's always _ something _."

Throndir put a hand on Ephrim's shoulder, making him look up. Ephrim must have let his fear show on his face, because Throndir pulled him close, sliding his arms around Ephrim, Hadrian's letter crumpled between them. 

"It'll be okay," said Throndir, "I mean, we've fought gods before. We can do it again."

Ephrim pressed his face into the crook of Throndir's neck, letting Throndir's solid presence chase away his worries, if only for the moment. 

\----

Lem read Hadrian's letter three times, twice to himself, and once aloud to Emmanuel. 

"Oh, yes," said Emmanuel, "I have heard of this new god. I think maybe I served him food once."

"You did? Emmanuel-"

"Well, I didn't know he was a god," said Emmanuel, "I heard about it after he left and put things together."

"What things?" said Lem, "Tell me- wait, wait-" he scrambled for a pen and paper, gesturing for Emmanuel to speak. "When was this?"

"A season or so ago, I think," said Emmanuel, "around the time when Fero was visiting, a stranger came into the Cafe I was working in-"

"What did they look like?"

Emmanuel frowned. "Tall, very handsome-" Emmanuel laughed, leaning forward to cup Lem's cheek in his hand. "Not as handsome as you, don't worry."

"I'm not worried," said Lem, a little too quickly. 

Emmanuel laughed again. "Of course.” He paused thinking. “I don't think I had ever seen him before, and he ordered, oh, I don't remember, something small, a juice I think it was, and when I brought it to his table I saw that he was doing magic!"

"What kind of magic?"

Emmanuel waved a hand. "Oh, you know. Magic. He was making the woodgrain of the table swirl around, form little shapes, boats and things."

"Was that it?"

"Well, yes," said Emmanuel, "but I heard on his way out of town he fixed Devar's roof and healed someone else's knee injury. A strange sort of god."

"Devar saw him?” said Lem, "Devar talked to him?"

Emmanuel nodded, laughing a little as Lem kissed him on the cheek before racing out the door. 

"Nah man," said Devar, "that was Fero who fixed my roof."

Lem's shoulders fell. "Are you sure?"

Devar laughed. "Kind of hard to mix Fero up with someone else."

“I suppose it is,” said Lem. “And you never saw the god?”

Devar shook his head. “Only person I saw that day was Fero.”

Lem sighed. “The mystery continues, I suppose.”

Devar smiled, putting a hand on Lem’s shoulder. “Well, you let me know how it turns out.”

\----

Fero frowned at the letter, scrawling out a quick reply on the back of it before he gave it back to the messenger. 

_ Haven't heard anything like it, sounds weird though. I'll keep an eye out. _

\----

Hadrian asked Ben and Blue J, the next time they stop by. Ben and Blue J exchanged a look. 

"Yeah, we've heard of that, but I don't think it's anything to worry about," said Ben. 

"It seems like mostly exaggeration, you know?" said Blue J, "that and people looking to, y'know, ascribe stuff to a higher power, sort of like what you talk about in your sermons."

They turned the conversation away from the danger of a new god, brushing it aside whenever the topic arose.

When they said their goodnights and closed the bedroom door behind them, Blue J waited until the sounds of Rosana's footsteps had faded before they turned to Ben. 

Ben held up a hand. "Before you say anything-"

"Oh my god-"

"Just because we maybe said something to someone, like, _ once, _that doesn't mean we're responsible for, for-"

"Creating a god?"

"We didn't create him, he was already out there, doing that stuff. We just told people about it." Ben frowned. "Although I never heard about him having the power to control water. I think that might be made up."

"Oh my _ god _ ," said Blue J again, sitting down heavily on the bed. "What do we even _ do _about this?"

Ben sat down next to them, putting an arm around their shoulder. He tamped down on the laughter inside him, half hysterical, half actual humour at the situation. 

"I don't think we have to do anything," said Ben, "after all, it's not like he's the kind of guy to accept godhood, even if that's what people tell him. Maybe _ especially _if that's what people tell him."

"I guess that's true," said Blue J. They paused. "I had no idea he was so good at carpentry."

Ben couldn't help it - he laughed, pressing his face into Blue J's shoulder. He felt them begin to laugh too, both trying to muffle their giggles as though they were twelve again, worried Rosana would interrupt their sleepover to find out they were still awake. 

\----

Red Jack had been searching for many days when he came across Fero, sitting by the road-side. He seemed to be deep in conversation with a rabbit, which hopped away as Red Jack approached.

“Hi,” said Fero, “Are you lost again?”

“I have never been lost,” said Red Jack.

“Sure,” said Fero, “but, I mean, what are you doing all the way out here?”

Red Jack slid down from his horse, lowering his voice as much as he was able. “I am following the trail of the new god - you have heard about them, yes?”

“Yeah,” said Fero, his voice as his usual volume, “Hadrian sent a letter about it.”

“Have you seen them, this god? They say they are on this branch at this very moment.”

Fero shook his head. “Nah. I’ve been to most of the places they say that gods been and I’ve never even seen them _ once _.”

Red Jack stroked his beard. “Highly unusual for a god to be so hidden away.”

“Maybe they don’t like attention,” said Fero.

“That is unusual too,” said Red Jack, “Usually a god desires to be worshiped, at least in part.”

Fero shrugged. “I dunno. Half the stuff Hadrian was saying they do sounds just like regular stuff. I mean, I can fix a table or turn into a flock of birds or whatever.”

Red Jack hummed. “Perhaps you’re right, but I keep chasing them just the same, until I am satisfied.”

He pulled himself back onto Ace, who whinnied in agreement.

“Well, good luck I guess,” said Fero.

“Thank you Fero Feritas!” said Red Jack, “And if you heard anything of this god, it would be much appreciated if you could pass it on to me.”

“Sure thing,” said Fero, “If I hear any god news I’ll let you know.”

\----

“So I was thinking,” said Throndir.

Ephrim hummed, cracking an eye open to look up at Throndir. The air at night was still cool enough for the fire to feel cosy, it’s flickering light making Ephrim feel comfortably drowsy.

“I was thinking I should help Red Jack go investigate the new god thing.”

Ephrim felt his stomach drop, cold sinking through his bones. He sat up slowly. “What?”

“I mean, the rumors aren’t going away, and even if they are just rumors, we should at least find out where they’re coming from, and why,” said Throndir.

“But why _ you _?” said Ephrim.

“I’m the librarian,” said Throndir, “if there’s new stories out there, I want to be the one who catalouges them.”

“But why _ you _?” said Ephrim again.

His reached out, fingers curling in the fabric of Throndir’s shirt. Throndir covered Ephrim’s hands with his own, his thumbs rubbing small circles on the back of Ephrim’s hands.

“It wouldn’t be forever, just a few weeks,” said Throndir, “I want to see for myself if this is actually something to worry about."

Ephrim tried to smile, although he suspected from Throndir's expression that he wasn't successful. "I suppose I can't convince you to stay?"

"You could, probably," said Throndir, "but…"

"You want to do this," finished Ephrim. 

"Yeah," said Throndir, "I do."

"I guess you're still a little bit the Ranger, huh?" said Ephrim, trying to keep his voice light. 

"Ephrim…"

Throndir pulled him close and Ephrim let himself be pulled, tucked under Throndir's chin. His fingers curled loosely in the fabric of Throndir's shirt, I've this heart. 

"I'll come back," said Throndir, "You know I will."

"I know," said Ephrim.

"And who knows," said Throndir, "maybe the rumors are just that, and then we'll have less to worry about."

"Maybe," said Ephrim, "but as long as you come back, that's enough for me."

\----

“Oh yeah,” said Rowe, “Well _ my _ aunt Hella knows a _ living _god, which is like, a hundred times better than a dead one.”

“She does?” said Rix.

“Yeah! Rix!” said Rowe, “What else would you call the guy that turns into a flock of birds and talks to the spring?”

“Whoa,” said the oni kid. “A new god.”

“Yeah!” said Rix, immediately getting on board with the idea, “he totally is! And! And! And! I saw him, like, talk to the spring, and it did what he said!”

The oni’s eyes went wide. “_ Whoa _.”

“Yeah,” said Rowe, satisfied with winning the argument, “so there.”

“What else can the new god do?” asked the oni.

\----

"Throndir's going out to look for the new god," said Hella. 

Adaire paused where she was helping Hella prepare dinner, her knife frozen over a carrot. "And you want to go too?"

Hella fiddled with the spoon in her hands. "I was thinking about it. Hadrian can't really… and someone should be there with Throndir, you know, just in case."

"In case you have to fight god," said Adaire, "again."

"I mean, we've done it before, we can do it again, if we have to," said Hella, "I just… I don't like sitting out on stuff like this."

"I know," said Adaire. She paused. "So. When are we leaving?"

Hella blinked turning towards her. Adaire raised her eyebrows, and Hella grinned. 

"End of the week?" said Hella. 

\----

Hadrian sighed, reading through Hella's letter. Rosana put a hand on his shoulder, and he looked up towards her. 

"Hella's going out to look for the new god."

Rosana nodded. "Good. Even if it is just tall tales, it would be nice to know for sure."

Hadrian nodded, pressing his lips together as he looked back down at her letter. 

Rosana squeezed his shoulder. "You want to go, don't you?"

Hadrian sighed. "I think my god fighting days might be over, but I still…"

"I'm sure Hella understands," said Rosana, "in fact I'm sure part of the reason she's going is so you don't have to." She paused, kissing the top of his head and staying close. "She loves you. We both do."

Hadrian sighed, dropping his head back to look up at Rosana. They were both older now, but to Hadrian she only ever grew more beautiful, more wise, more easy to fall in love with every day they were together. 

"I know." He took her hand, pressing a kiss to the back of it. "I love you."

Rosana smiled down at him, kissing his forehead before she moved to sit beside him on the couch. "Read me the letter?"

Hadrian shifted, sliding an arm around her so she could curl in close, her head resting on his shoulder as he read. 

\----

"Oh!" said Lem, "Throndir's putting together a party to look for the new god."

Emmanuel's hands stilled for a moment in the dough he was working. "I see."

"Not that I was going to be a part of it, of course, my adventuring days are over, obviously-"

"Lem-"

"I said I was through with travelling, and I am, I absolutely am-"

"Lem-"

"I mean, I'm sure they'll tell me all about it, and really, that's just as good as going myself-"

"_ Lem _-" Emmanuel stepped around the table, putting a flour-covered hand over Lem's. "If you want to go, you should go."

"I- really?"

Emmanuel huffed a laugh. "Yes really. Times are much different to what they were when I made that request of you. There is less of a worry that this will be the last time I will see you when it is not the end of the world."

"I- of _ course _you'll see me again," said Lem, "but, Emmanuel, are you sure?"

"I am," said Emmanuel. He leaned up, pressing a light kiss to Lems cheek. "I will worry about you until you return, but I am sure you worry about me when I am travelling too, yes?"

"I do, of course I do," said Lem, "and I'll worry about you when I'm gone too, but I… I would like to know, if there truly is a new god."

"I know," said Emmanuel.

He leant up again, and this kiss lingered, soft and slow. 

"Just come back to me, when it is over."

"Of course," breathed Lem, "Of _ course _ I will, Emmanuel-"

Emmanuel kissed him again, leaving streaks of flour in Lem's hair, along his back, their movements slow as they commited each other to memory for the time apart. 

\----

Fero arrived at Ephrim's cottage before the others, doubly unexpected since Throndir hadn't written to him about the journey at all. 

"Emmanuel told me," said Fero. 

"Emmanuel?"

"Well, he wrote and asked if I could look out for Lem on the journey," said Fero. "Honestly, as if I was going to miss out of this."

“I… didn’t think you’d be interested,” said Throndir, choosing his words carefully, “I thought you wanted to, y’know, be alone.”

“I was,” said Fero, “for awhile.”

“So what changed?”

Fero looked down for a moment, then up at the roof of Ephrim’s cottage. “I promised someone awhile ago I’d keep trying new things.”

Throndir cleared his throat. “Well. Good to have you on board, I guess.”

“It is,” said Fero, “So, can I come in or what?”

Throndir huffed a laugh, stepping aside.

Surely a bigger party couldn’t hurt their chances, after all.

\----

Despite how often he rode alone, Red Jack had always found it more enjoyable to travel with a group than on his own.

“And especially,” he said, “when I am in a group with a purpose such as this!”

“Hunting a god?” said Throndir.

Red Jack laughed. “No - although I suppose I have done that a few times in my day! Ha ha! But I was speaking more to having a shared purpose, all people moving and thinking towards one goal, sharing in the task ahead!”

He cast his eye over the group - Hella and Adaire riding in front of them, Lem in the front and Fero as a sparrow, soaring ahead and then fluttering back to land on Lem’s shoulder, all of them armed with tales of a new god and on the lookout for any sign.

“I guess,” said Throndir. He took a deep breath in and out, looking at the forest around them. “It is kind of nice to be back on the road like this - I mean,” he huffed a laugh. “I’m sure I’l be complaining about it before too long, but for now…”

“You forget, I think, when you have been settled for too long,” said Red Jack. “Fero and I were speaking of this, when I saw him last - he has become almost as well travelled as me! Ha ha!”

“Fero?” said Throndir, his eyes going to the sparrow ahead of the group.

“Yes,” said Red Jack, “I often pass him on the road now. He said, how did he put it? He said he liked to be reminded of why he liked the peace and quiet of his cave.”

Throndir laughed. “That does sound like Fero I guess.”

Red Jack laughed too, feeling energy spark through him. Whether they found this new god or not, he would greatly enjoy the journey.

\----

_ Hadrian, _

_ We’ve been through five branches now, and I still feel no closer to finding this new god, if they even exist at all. We hear just as many bizarre and mundane and contradictory tales about them as we did before we started, and it is hard to separate fact from fiction, especially with what we’ve seen in our lifetimes. _

_ It feels like we might be getting closer to the source of it, at least. In the last town we went to they told us that the god was just there, helping with their animals and bending some plants to their will to help make a bridge. The bridge was real enough, but it’s hard to say if a god moved it. I’ve seen the Rhizome move itself, so it could just have been that (and, as Fero said, anyone can calm down an animal, if they feel like it). _

_ We’ve agreed to try a few more settlements before we make a decision about whether or not to go on. I still hope that we can find something to settle our minds either way. _

_ I keep turning to complain to you about shitty rations and tired feet before I remember you’re not here (eating much better food with your feet up, I hope!). It’s strange to be on such a long journey without you, although I admit the same feeling follows me at home as well. _

_ Speaking of home - we ran into Ben and Blue J yesterday as we were changing branches. Blue J teased their fathers for chasing rumors, although Ben seemed like he believed the god could be out there (although perhaps - and I do not mean to cause any offence - that could be his upbringing). They’re both well and seemed in good spirits, and I said I would pass along their greetings to you. Ben said he expected to be back your way in a month or so, although I suspect he might reach you before this letter does. _

_ I hope, whenever this letter finds you, that you and Rosana are well. _

_ All my love, _

_ Hella _

\----

Lem sighed to himself as he trudged back to where their bugs were stabled. Another town where they swore the new spring god was real but also said that he had just left. It was as though they were perfectly timed somehow in the god’s favour, entering every room just as the new god were closing the door behind them.

Hella and Adaire were already waiting by the bugs, a now-familiar expression on their faces. 

“No luck?” Hella asked.

Lem shook his head, sighing again, a little louder now that there was someone to hear him. “The same as the last three places we’ve been.”

“Throndir said someone told him the god was here _ today _ , but that they’d left,” said Hella. She sighed, running her hand through her hair. “Or, they _ thought _ the god had left, but they weren’t sure. No one’s ever sure with this god.”

“They don’t seem to mind that part of it,” said Lem.

“Most of them haven’t fought a god,” said Adaire, “I could use the certainty.”

“Do you think- oh, look, there’s Throndir,” said Lem, “I wonder if he had any luck.”

On catching sight of them, Throndir broke into a run, waving his arms. Hella put a hand on her sword hilt, and Lem fumbled to copy her motion.

“We’ve found them, Red Jack, he’s- we’ve got something,” said Throndir, stumbling over his words.

“Wait, slow down,” said Hella, “What?”

“We were walking back, and this kid ran up to us, and told us that if we were looking for the god that they were fixing his aunt’s roof right now,” said Throndir, “Red Jack went to hold down the location, make sure they don’t disappear on us-”

“Where?” said Adaire.

“Let’s go,” said Hella, at the same moment.

They followed Throndir at a run through the winding streets, stopping at a tall house by a steep rise of the branch. It had the same structure of those favoured by houses in the area, but it’s tall, slanted sides looked to have taken a battering in the last pollen storm, and there were several patches on it’s tiled roof, some more expertly done than others.

Lem could hear hammering from behind the house. He grabbed Hella’s arm.

Hella drew her sword, stepping in front of him and Adaire.

“Are you sure that’s wise?” said Throndir.

Hella shrugged. “They’re armed, they’ve got a hammer by the sound of it. Plus, they’re a god.”

“Maybe,” said Throndir, “They might just be a guy with a hammer.”

“I’m keeping the sword out,” said Hella.

“Ah! You are here!” said Red Jack, “Shall we approach?”

“We’d better do it fast,” said Hella, “I’m sick of losing them.”

They split up, Red Jack and Throndir taking one path around the house and Hella, Adaire and Lem taking the other. Lem wiped his palm on his pants before he gripped his sword hilt.

Under the hammering noise, Lem could hear someone humming to themselves. The tune sounded familiar, although Lem couldn’t quite place it. The hammering paused, replaced by a grinding noise for a moment, before the hammering began again. The hum continued, and, oh, Lem knew that song, it was a halfling traveling song. Fero used to sing it all the time, now that Lem was thinking about it. Used to get stuck in his head all the time.

He turned to say as much to Hella, opening his mouth as she leapt forward with a yell, signalling Red Jack and Throndir to do the same.

Fero dropped the hammer he was holding, narrowly missing hitting his foot.

“What,” said Fero,”the fuck?”

“_ Fero _?”

“If you guys wanted to leave early you could just _ tell _ me, jeez,” said Fero, “You don’t have to… do whatever the hell _ that _ was.”

Throndir moved towards him, looking through the small open shed Fero was standing near. “Have you seen the god?”

“What?” said Fero, “No.”

“You weren’t even _ looking _?” said Throndir.

“I did!” said Fero, “But it seemed like it was going to be just as much of a bust as every other place we’ve gone, and then I was passing this place and it seemed like it got hit even worse than the last town by that pollen storm.”

“And you just offered to fix their roof?” said Hella.

Fero shrugged. “If we’re not going to have any luck finding this god I might as well do _ something _ while we’re here, and it helped kill the time pretty well last time.”

“Last time?” said Adaire.

“Yeah,” said Fero, waving a hand, ”in the last town, their like, little shitty hospital got wrecked so I helped them put some of it back together before we left.”

Beside him, Hella went very still. “They said the god did that.”

Fero wrinkled his nose. “If there was a god helping I didn’t see them. Most of the people there used to be like, travelling merchants, so they weren’t so good with, like, structural repairs, so I did most of that stuff. Well, I got them started, anyway.”

Throndir and Hella exchanged a look.

Hella took a deep breath. “Fero…”

“No, look,” said Fero, his hand twitching as he gestured, “I _ did _ look for the god or whoever it is we're chasing, I looked in all the places you said to look and there was no one there and I had, like, a whole three days left before we had to leave, so I don’t see why I should help people, isn’t that what we’re supposed to do!”

“Sure,” said Throndir, “but I think-”

“I’m not going to waste my time looking for some god that might not even exist when I could be doing other stuff!”

“I think he does exist,” said Hella, sheathing her sword. 

“We haven’t found anything that proves that! I’ve been all over the place before you guys even started this dumb journey and I never saw them!” said Fero, “Anyone could be doing to stuff people say that god’s doing!”

“Even, say, talk to the spring or turn into a flock of birds?” said Adaire, her voice oddly calm.

“_ Exactly _ !” said Fero, “ _ I _ can do that stuff! It’s not so special! I do it all the time!”

Lem’s eyes went wide. “Oh my god.”

“_ What _?” snapped Fero.

“It’s _ you _ ,” said Lem, “ _ You’re _ the god.”

“What, no I’m not!”

“You are!” said Lem.

“Am not!” said Fero.

“You-”

Hella stepped in front of Lem, putting a hand on her arm to quiet him.

“Fero,” said Hella, “think about it. You’ve been all over. You do all of that stuff.”

“Anybody can!”

“Not everybody can turn into a flock of birds or talk to the new spring,” said Adaire, “basically no one can do that.”

“Yeah, but,” Fero wrinkled his nose, “I’m not a god.”

“Maybe so,” said Red Jack, “but people seem to believe you are.”

“This does explain why we kept hearing about the god helping to fix people furniture,” said Lem thoughtfully.

“I was bored!” said Fero.

“So you admit you did it!” said Lem.

“Yeah, so? Anybody can fix a table!”

“First of all that’s not true,” said Hella, “I don’t know how to do any of that stuff. Second of all, even if that were true not everybody does it to help other people.”

“I only did it because I was bored waiting for you guys,” said Fero.

“What about the times before that?” said Hella gently.

“I-” Fero huffed. “They didn’t know how to fix it, so I taught them.”

There was a pause. Hella looked at Throndir.

Throndir ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t- I guess we’re done?”

“What are we going to do?” said Lem.

Throndir laughed, scrubbing a hand over his face. “What is there _ to _ do?”

“We could tell people I’m not a god,” said Fero.

“I think that might just make things more confusing,” said Hella.

“But we-” Fero’s shoulders slumped. “I thought the whole point was that you guys thought the new god was dangerous.”

“Fero…” Hella stepped forward again. “You’re helping people, right?”

“I guess,” said Fero.

“And you’re not going to reconfigure anything, right?”

Fero wrinkled his nose. “_ No _.”

“Then we’re fine,” said Hella, “Right guys?”

Throndir paused, then nodded.

Hella nodded back. “I say we head home.”

“Actually, I…” said Fero, “I’m gonna stay here, finish this out? There’s supposed to be another pollen storm here next week and no way can these guys finish these repairs on their own.”

Hella put a hand on Fero’s shoulder. “Well, okay, but… come visit, when you’re done. Or any time, okay?”

Behind her, Adaire nodded, delicately sheathing her daggers. Lem hadn't even noticed her drawn them. 

Fero nodded, waving them off.

“I, uh.” Lem cleared his throat. “I can stay and help, if you like.”

Fero shrugged. “Whatever.”

Lem followed the rest of the group, saying his goodbyes to them, promising to visit them on his way back home. He approached Fero carefully.

Fero sighed. “Come on Lem, don’t be- you don’t have to watch me you know. I’m not going to go all-” he waved his arms around “-just because people think I’m a god or something.”

“I know,” said Lem, “I just- are you okay?”

Fero looked down. “Sure, of course.”

“Fero-”

“I mean, why wouldn’t I be fine,” said Fero, “It’s not like every god we’ve met has been a huge asshole or has- or has died.”

Lem stopped in his tracks. “Oh. Fero, he- you know, he’d- Actually, he’d probably find this whole thing sort of funny.”

Fero laughed, a watery sound that pulled Lem the last few steps towards him. He put a hand on Fero’s shoulder, and Fero turned, wrapping his arms around Lem’s waist. Lem bent a little, putting his arms around Fero as best his could despite their height difference.

“He probably would have,” said Fero, his voice partly muffled where his face was pressed against Lem’s side.

Lem rubbed a hand up and down Fero’s back for a long moment before Fero tilted back, rubbing a hand over his eyes.

“I guess I’d better get this finished,” said Fero.

“I suppose gods don’t usually leave things half done,” said Lem.

Fero snorted.

“Do gods, uh.” Lem bit his lip. “Do gods like help, for this sort of thing?”

“I don’t know,” said Fero, “Are you any good with a hammer?”

“Absolutely not,” said Lem, “but I can try.”

Fero’s expression softened. “Well. I guess I can show you what to do then.”

**Author's Note:**

> come say hi: mariusperkins on most places


End file.
